Valkyrie #1

Marvel's Asgardian shield-maiden strides boldly onto the cover of this 1997 one-shot, armored in silver breastplate and flowing blue cape, sword in hand and a skull clutched menacingly in her outstretched fingers. The cover's tagline — "From the hallowed halls of Asgard a legend is reborn!" — sets the tone perfectly for a story titled "Without Wings," with J. M. DeMatteis and Len Wein handling writing duties and Pablo Raimondi delivering the cover art with sharp, dynamic energy. With a creative team that also includes artist Manny Clark and inkers Joe Rubinstein and Al Milgrom, this feels like a worthy showcase for one of Marvel's most compelling warrior women.